Junior Achievement of Southeastern Michigan (JASEM), a Detroit-based nonprofit organization dedicated to preparing young people for future success in a global economy, announced Anita Martínez has joined the senior leadership team as senior vice president of Operations.
In this role, Martínez will manage JASEM operations including finances, facilities management, programming, and key administrative functions. She will lead recruiting, training, evaluation, and coaching of staff, supervise key financial and operation personnel, and serve as the human resources liaison to the board of directors, among other duties. She was selected for the position from among more than 100 candidates.
Martínez will ultimately assume the role of chief operating officer following the retirement of current COO Cindy Bazner who has worked for JASEM for more than 47 years. That transition is expected to take place this summer.
“JASEM would not be here today without Cindy Bazner’s incredible dedication and leadership,” says Jason Lee, president and CEO of JASEM. “As we began to think about succession, we were very strategic in identifying the right leader to complement our existing team and the future trajectory of JA. I have been in several circles with Anita in the Detroit nonprofit sector, and she is someone I’ve always wanted to work with. We are excited to have her join our dedicated team.”
Martínez formerly served as the inaugural executive director of The Michigan Hispanic Collaborative, a nonprofit organization that helps students and young professionals navigate the complexity of college access through early career by providing support, resources, and opportunities.
She also previously worked with United Way for Southeastern Michigan as a community impact director of financial stability and wealth-building overseeing a $9.6 million pool of basic needs partner funded agencies affecting more than 135,000 residents.
A native of southwest Detroit, Martínez is a first-generation college graduate with a bachelor’s degree in organizational studies from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor and an MBA from Central Michigan University in Mount Pleasant.
“As a parent chaperone for my four children on interactive field trips to JA Finance Park in Detroit and reviewing their JA assignments over the years, I’ve consistently been very impressed by the mission of Junior Achievement and the essential financial skills it imparts to students,” says Martínez. “I am deeply honored to have been selected to contribute to the refinement of its approach and impact strategy.”
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